Amusement device.



No. 868,369.- PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907. 0. M. STEWART & J. A. G-REER.

. AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APP'LIOATION FILED 113.28. 19o?.

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No'. 868,369. PATENTEVD 0CT. 15, 1907.

0. M..ST-EWART & J. VA. GREER. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 28. 1907.

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OMEIJI M. STEWART AND JOSEPH AUSTIN GREEK, OE WILKINSBUIt-G, PENNSYLVANIA.

ABUSEMENT DEVICE Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application tiled February 28, 1907. Serial No. 359,857.

To all whom it ymay concern:

Be it known that we, OMERT M. STEWART and Josnru AUSTIN Gamin, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices. of which the following is a spccilication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and has for its object to provide a novel device which will afford amusement, enjoyment and sensations similar' to traveling in an air ship or balloon.

Our amusement device is particularly designed ior large parks, expositions, and such places of amusement, and in this connection we have constructed our amusement device whereby it will presentan attractive appearance and sensations new to the persons pleasurebent.

To this end, we have devised an amusement device intended to represent the earth or a spherical body, and besides employing scenery to produce an aerial or nature-like effect, we employ miniature balloons or air ships which encircle the earth representation or spherical bodyr` imparting to their occupants a sensation similar to traveling through the air in a balloon or air ship,

The detail construction oi our invention will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically pointed ont in the appended claims7 and referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:-

Eigure Il is a front elevation of an amusement device constructed in accordance with our invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, I"ig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the device, Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the device illustrating part of the operating mechanism thereof,

To put our invention into practice, we construct our' improved amusement device on a very large scale and employ structural steel and such elements in its make up as will provide a non-collapsible structure and insure perfect safety to persons enjoying the amusement.

The amusement device is spherical or globular in contour and consists of two stationary semi-spherical or splreroid sections, l and 2, and an outer revoluble substantially semi-cylindrical shell 3.

The stationary section l comprises a suitable base or foundation 4 carrying a vertically disposed standard or center pole 5 and a plurality of sector shaped frames or beams 6 which are suitably braced and connected together by a horizontal track way 7 and braces S. The skeleton-like semi-spherical section l is covered with canvas or a suitable material 9, which canbe or-' namented to present an attractive appearance.

Surrounding the standard or center pole 5 is a stationary sleeve lO carrying a bracket ll in which is journaled a vertically disposed shouldered shaft l2 having a bevel gear wheel 14 and a pinion 15, the latter being mounted upon the upper end of the shaft l2. Meshing with the beveled gear wheel I4 is a beveled gear wheel IG carried by a shaft 17 which is driven by a motor or from a suitable source oi energy. Embracing the upper vend of tlresleeve l0 is a head I8 carrying a plurality of' outriggers 19, said outiiggers being provided with roller bearings 2O adapted to travel upon the horizontal track way 7. In order` to revolve the head I8 and the Outrigger-s 19, we suspend from the outriggers a circular rack 2l which meshes with the pinion l5. The outriggers i9 support the substantially hemispherical shell 3, said shell being cut away, as at 22, whereby the stationary section 2 can be observed during the revoluble A being provided with a star or toothed wheel 27 adapted to be struck by projections carried by the outrigger's, tlrosein the illustration shown being in the form of angle plates 2S secured to the upper faces ot the outriggers i9, Mounted upon the rollers 26 is a taut endless apron 29 having painted, printed or otherwise marked thereon a landscape or similar piece of attractive scenery. The semi-spherical section 2 is covered with canvas or similar material 30, and two diametrically opposed openings 31 are provided whereby as the carriages or chariots 3 encircle the spherical body, the pleasure seekers or occupants thereoi can observe from time to time, the piece of scenery within the section 2. The scenicapron 29 is moved by the angle plates 28 striking the star or toothed wheel 27, imparting an intermittent movement to the scenic-apron and this mechanism is so geared or arranged as to allow an occupant of the carriage or chariot to observe all of the scenic-reproduction on the apron bef-ore conrpleting a ride in the carriage or chariot.

In order that persons may easily and safely enter the carriages or chariots 23, we erect a stationary platform 32 adjacent to the amusement device, easy access being had to the platform by a stair way 33.

It is thought from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, that the operation of my improved amusement device will be clearly understood without iur-ther description, but we desire it to be understood that such structural changes in the device as are permissible by the appended claims, maybe resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

l. An amusement device consisting of a base or foundation, a center pole carried thereby, two hemispherical stationary sections supported by said base and center pole, revoluble out-riggers arranged between said sections and having roller bearings traveling upon one of said sections, a shell surrounding the other of said sections, and having openings formed therein, a plurality of carriages oi' charlots carried by said out-riggers and adapted to encircle said sections, an endless apron inovably mounted in one of said sections, means for revolving said outriggers, means actuated by said out-riggers to move said apron, and means whereby easy access can be had to said carriages orv chariots.

2. An amusement device consistingl ot' a spherical structure having two stationary sections, horizontal revoluble out-riggers arranged between said sections` a shell carried by said out-riggers, carriages or chariots carried by said outri gers, an endless apron arranged in one of said sections and adapted to be viewed from said carriages or chariots, means to revolve said carriages or chariots, means carried by said out-riggers to move said apron, and means whereby easy access can be had to said carriages or chariots.

3. An amusement device consistingof a spherical structure having openings formed therein, a shell revolubly mounted upon the upper part of said structure, carriages or chariots supported from within said structure and adapted to encircle said structure, an endless apron arranged within said structure, means to move said carriages or chariots, means actuated by the iirst named means for moving said apron` and means whereby easy access can be had to said carriages or chariots.

4. An amusement device consisting of a spherical structure, a shell revolubly mounted upon the upper part of said structure, a plurality of carriages or chariots movably supported from the interior of said structure and adapted to encircle the exterior of said structure, an endless apron arranged within said structure and adapted to be viewed from said carriages or chariots, means to move said carriages o1' chariots, and means actuated by the iirst named. means to move said apron.

In an amusement device, a stationary spherical body, a heinispherical shell surrounding.;l the upper part oi the spherical body and revoluble around the same, a plurality of carriages supported to revolve with said heinispherical shell around the stationary spherical body, means for revolving said hemispherical shell and carriages, an endless scenioapron arranged within the upper part of the spherical body, and means for imparting intermittent movement to said scenic-apron while the shell and carriages are re volvine.

6. In an amusement device, a substantially spherical body comprising an upper and a lower section both stationary, a circular track carried by the lower section, a hemispherical shell revoluble around the upper section of said spherical body, a plurality of outri ers suitably supported to revolve with said shell and ha ing rollers traveling on the track carried by said lower section oi' the body, carriages supported on the outer ends of said outriggers, means for revolving said shell and outriggers, a scenic-apron arranged to be exposed to view through said shell as the latter is revolved, and means for movingl said apron as the shell and outriggers are revolved.

T. In an amusement device, a spherical body comprising an upper and a lower section, a shell mounted to be re volved around the upper section, a plurality olf carriages suitably supported to be carried around with said shell as the latter is revolved, lneans for revolving said shell, an endless scenicaipron mounted within the upper section of said spherical body, and means for intermittently operating said scenic-apron as the shell is revolved.

8. In an amusement device, a spherical body comprising an upper and a lower section, a circular track carried by the lower section, a shell arranged to revolve around said spherical body, a plurality of outrig "ers suital)ly-supported and arranged to be revolved with said shell, having` rollers traveling on the circular track of the lower section of said spherical body, carriages carried on said outriggers outside the shell, and means for revolving said shell and outriggers.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures in the presence ot' two witnesses.

OMERT M. STEVART. JOSEPH AUSTIN GREEK.

Witnesses li. C. Ei'imr,

A. .T. TameA 

